Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit
Since he founded The Stratbase Group in 2004, he has provided top-level strategic analysis and thought leadership on global issues in the Philippines. He identified investment and business opportunities, gathered critical intelligence to overcome regulatory challenges, and developed deep relationships in key departments and agencies. With his extensive experience, he continues to help Stratbase clients understand the interplay between business and government and the impact of legislative, regulatory, and geopolitics on their business strategies.
As a public policy analyst and strategist, he thinks beyond politics for his political risk assessments, and draws on a combination of backward-looking, fact-based, data-driven analytics with forward-looking thinking, and strategic policy options.
He believes that policy research and analysis should be undertaken in an independent, strategic, and pragmatic manner in order to contribute to the geopolitical debate and, in the process, effectively influence domestic and regional policy. He has provided strategic analysis at this time of great global challenges and the importance of the influence of a globalized society in nation-states.
Professor Manhit has built winning public affairs campaigns integrating message development, strategic communications, and the mobilization of grassroots support. Concurrently, he is Philippine Country Head of BowerGroupAsia (BGA), a leading strategic advisory firm specializing in the Asia-Pacific. He was a former Chair and retired Associate Professor of the Political Science Department of De La Salle University, Manila, and has authored numerous commentaries and papers on geopolitical issues, governance, and political reforms. He specializes in Strategic Studies and Management, International Politics, and Public Policy Analysis. He also regularly contributes articles and columns to leading newspapers in the Philippines, such as Philippine Daily Inquirer and BusinessWorld.
His research interest and field of specialization have led him to pursue active involvement in legislation, bureaucratic work, and civil society advocacy. Among the government positions he held include Undersecretary for External Affairs and Special Concerns of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports and Deputy Secretary for Administration and Financial Services of the Philippine Senate. Meanwhile, his legislative experience encompasses the 8th, the 9th, 10th, and the 12th Congress as Chief of Staff of the late Senate President Edgardo J. Angara and senior policy research adviser in key Senate Committees, such as Education, Agriculture, Economic Affairs, Social Justice and Electoral Reforms, and Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Laws.
After his stint in government, he became involved with different consortiums and networks of civil society groups. His civil society initiatives range from governance reform to environmental stewardship, as Lead Convenor of citizen-led initiative, Democracy Watch Philippines, and Convenor of pro-industry group, Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (PBEST).
He is a Fellow of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), an organization dedicated to advancing economic and political liberty and other market-oriented reforms, and a member of both the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), the Philippines’ leading organization committed to promoting management excellence for nation-building and the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), dedicated to the professionalization of Philippine corporate directorship and an active member of its Strategy Execution Pathway (StEP) Committee. As a member and adviser of the Board of the Philippine Trade Foundation (Phils, Inc.), Professor Manhit contributes to the crafting of initiatives geared to attract investments and promoting balanced trade.
His international reach is evident in his key role in the establishment of the U.S. – Philippines Strategic Initiative (USPI). The trans-Pacific effort underlines the critical linkage of economic ties between the U.S. and the Philippines as a foundation for enduring security relations through research and programs. He is also an advisor to the Board of Asia Society Philippines, which aims to strengthen relationships, deepen understanding, and bridge differences across the Philippines, Asia, and the United States. He was appointed as one of the ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent Persons (ARF-EEP) by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Professor Manhit obtained his master’s degree in Public Administration and Bachelor’s Degree in Philippine Studies (Major in Political Science and History) from the University of the Philippines. A member of Phi Gamma Mu International Honors’ Society Beta Chapter.
Ma. Claudette Guevara-Hizon
Ma. Claudette Guevara-Hizon is the Deputy Executive Director for Programs of the Stratbase ADR Institute.
She is also the Secretary General of ADRi’s advocacy group, Democracy Watch Philippines, a citizen-led initiative that advocates for honest, fair and free elections, reforms to strengthen political party systems, and institutionalizing governance reforms through the principles of accountable government and transparency of decision-making.
She received her bachelor’s degree major in Political Science from De La Salle University – Manila in 2011. She took a course on Leadership of Change for Development Managers at the Asian Institute of Management on May 2017 and a course on Project Management from Ateneo De Manila University Continuing Center for Education in 2015. She was a delegate at the Southeast Asian Young Leaders Program of the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Shangri-La Dialogue 2018.
She was elected as a two-time Batch President of the College of Liberal Arts at the De La Salle University – Manila from 2008 to 2010 and Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson in Pasay City, Metro Manila. She was also the High School Student Council President from 2007-2008 at the St. Scholastica’s College-Manila.
Jaime Jimenez, Ph.D
Jaime M. Jimenez, Ph.D, is a Deputy Executive Director for Research and the Head of the Editorial Board of the Stratbase ADR Institute. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at De La Salle University – Manila in 1994, graduating with a Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. In 1998, he received his MA in Philippine Studies at De La Salle University and earned his Doctorate degree in Southeast Asia Studies at the National University of Singapore in 2003.
He is former Vice Chair of the Political Science department at De La Salle University – Manila and is former Associate Professor II of the Faculty of Arts and Letters at the University of Sto. Tomas.
Krystyna Louise Dy
Krystyna Louise C. Dy is the Stratbase Group’s Director of Accounts and Client Services, as well as the Director of Programs and External Affairs of the Stratbase ADR Institute, where she is in charge of the Institute’s ongoing operations, initiatives, and programs.
She supervises and coordinates with the team, overseeing all facets of internal and external communications. As well as designing and implementing initiatives to assist the Institute’s advocacies, she leads in organizing and directing events, such as conferences, public forums, and town hall discussions.
In 2010, she was elected as the President of the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) Provincial Federation of Isabela, earning her a seat on the Provincial Board. She concurrently served as the Treasurer of the Sangguniang Kabataan National Federation until 2013, where she took an active role in pushing for the reform of the Sangguniang Kabataan through her participation as a resource person in a series of technical working group hearings at the Philippine Senate. The outcome, then called the Youth Development and Empowerment Act of 2014, was signed into law by the former President of the Republic Benigno Aquino III on January 15, 2016, as Republic Act No. 10742.
She received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at De La Salle University – Manila in 2014, and was a member of the Political Science Society (POLISCY), the oldest political organization in the university.
Joanna Marie “Joey” Perfecto
Joanna Marie “Joey” Perfecto is the Senior Program and Advocacy Associate of Stratbase ADR Institute. As a senior associate, she handles various programs catering to the numerous initiatives and advocacies of the Institute. Specifically, Joey organizes and manages various events, conferences, and forums held by the organization. Joey is also part of the External Affairs Team, which is responsible for building strong client relationships for the Institute and delivering solutions that meet the client’s needs.
Prior to joining Stratbase, Joey previously worked as a corporate paralegal. In addition, she completed an internship at the World Wildlife Fund Inc. (WWF) for the Earth Hour campaign in 2018.
Joey obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at De La Salle University – Manila in 2013.
Jikko Alfonso Puzon
Jikko Alfonso P. Puzon is Research Manager at Stratbase ADR Institute. He monitors global security developments and provides reports on critical political events in the region that might affect the Philippines’ strategic partnerships with other countries. Jikko is also responsible for the analysis of trends and activities of government defense organizations and research institutions around the region.
Prior to joining Stratbase, Jikko worked for the Embassy of India in the Philippines under the Press, Information, and Culture wing, where he was tasked to research and provide political and diplomatic reports. In addition, he worked for the House of Representatives in the Philippines as a political consultant. He finished his double Master’s degree in International Public Policy and International Studies (Asian Studies) from the Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University and De La Salle University – Manila in 2016.
Venice Isabelle Rañosa
Venice Isabelle Rañosa is Research Manager at Stratbase ADR Institute, where she tracks global and local movements in trade and investments, public policy, and sustainable development. She is also in charge of the Economic Snapshots, the Institute’s quarterly review of the Philippine economy. At Stratbase Group, she concurrently monitors industry, political, and socio-economic risks for stakeholders and various sectors.
She has done research on the Philippine tax reform program, infrastructure development, public financial management, government transparency and good governance, and the circular economy. She was co-author of a special study on the extended producer responsibility (EPR) in the Philippines, which was published by the Stratbase ADR Institute in 2018. She has also written articles and commentaries on trade and investments, sustainable development, public policy, governance, and political economy, which have been published in major broadsheets. Aside from these, she provides content for briefs on the economy, industry and politics, and develops principal content for virtual conferences on business and the economy organized by the Institute for its domestic and international stakeholders.
She received her Master of Arts degree in Development Policy (2019) and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies major in European Studies (2017), with honors, from De La Salle University – Manila, and has a diploma in Spanish awarded by the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid, Spain. She obtained her high school education, with distinction, at St. Scholastica’s College-Manila. She earned her Career Service Professional government eligibility from the Civil Service Commission of the Philippines in 2017.
Ma. Alynna Corinne M. Carlos
Ma. Alynna Corinne M. Carlos is a Program Manager at Stratbase ADR Institute. She joined ADRi as a Program and Research Associate in July 2021. She monitors and analyzes global and regional developments in the defense and security sector. As a program manager, Alynna carries out the Institute’s advocacy on the West Philippine Sea through publications and events. She also contributes to the Institute’s projects with partner stakeholders. Moreover, she provides research and analysis on the Philippine banking and financial technology sector.
Alynna is currently pursuing a master’s degree in International Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. In 2016, she graduated from the same university with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in European Languages, specializing in French. She also participated in the summer semester program at Chonnam National University in South Korea in 2015.
Before joining Stratbase ADR Institute, Alynna was a Language and Culture Assistant under the Spanish Ministry of Education in Madrid, Spain. She also served as a Special Rapporteur for the ASEAN Youth Forum, where she co-organized the ASEAN+ Youth Meeting on Peace and Security in 2020. She has joined multiple international relations conferences, including the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations held at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Erasmus+ Global Partnerships workshop in Bangkok.
Ma. Katrina D. Guerrero
Ma. Katrina D. Guerrero is a Senior Program and Research Associate at the Stratbase ADR Institute. She monitors global security and political developments, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, which might affect the Philippines’ domestic and international affairs. At the Stratbase Group, she concurrently tracks developments in the domains of information and communications technology (ICT) and infrastructure.
She previously served as a Vice Presidential Staff Officer III at the Office of the Vice President where she prepared executive briefers for the perusal of the Vice President. She also served as the point of contact of the media regarding the nature of the Vice President’s activities.
Prior to this, she worked at the ASEAN National Organizing Council where she was responsible for providing research support for the Office of the Director-General for Operations.
She finished her bachelor’s degree in Diplomacy and International Relations with Specialization in East and Southeast Asian Studies from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2017. She is currently taking her master’s degree in International Studies at the University of the Philippines – Diliman.
Mashan Bernice “Shanice” Espiritu
Mashan Bernice “Shanice” Espiritu is the Policy and Regulatory Manager of Stratbase ADR Institute. Her role involves the analysis of key government legislation in order to assess and mitigate the occurrence of risks, as well as monitoring the governance initiatives of the Institute, including Democracy Watch Philippines.
Before her role in Stratbase, her experience involved Philippine anti-corruption policy research under the Development Policy Centre, and the Institute for Infrastructure in Society. She also held brief research roles in the Institute for State Effectiveness, a development think-and-do tank based in Washington, DC.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from De La Salle University – Manila and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Australian National University, where she specialized in Integrity and Anti-Corruption Policy. She is also a part-time lecturer at De La Salle University – Manila, with her research interests being largely on policy and governance in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
Members of the Editorial Board
Jaime Jimenez, Ph.D
Jaime M. Jimenez, Ph.D, is a Deputy Executive Director for Research and the Head of the Editorial Board of the Stratbase ADR Institute. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at De La Salle University in 1994, graduating with a Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. In 1998, he received his MA in Philippine Studies at De La Salle University – Manila and earned his Doctorate degree in Southeast Asia Studies at the National University of Singapore in 2003.
He is former Vice Chair of the Political Science department at De La Salle University – Manila and is former Associate Professor II of the Faculty of Arts and Letters at the University of Sto. Tomas.
Dr. Renato de Castro
Dr. Renato C. de Castro is a full professor in the International Studies Department, De La Salle University – Manila, and holds the Charles Lui Chi Keung Professorial Chair in China Studies. In 2016, he was a U.S.-ASEAN Fulbright Initiative Researcher from the Philippines, based in the East-West Center in Washington. He is an alumnus of the Daniel Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii, U.S.A.
In 2009, Dr. De Castro became the U.S. State Department ASEAN Research Fellow from the Philippines and was based in the Political Science Department of Arizona State University. He earned his Ph.D from the Government and International Studies Department of the University of South Carolina as a Fulbright Scholar in 2001, and obtained his B.A. and two master’s degrees from the University of the Philippines. Professor De Castro has conducted several courses on International Relations and Security Studies in the National Defense College and Foreign Service Institute. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute (Stratbase ADRi).
A consultant in the National Security Council of the Philippines during the Aquino administration, Professor De Castro’s research interests include Philippine-U.S. security relations, Philippine defense and foreign policies, U.S. defense and foreign policies in East Asia, and the international politics of East Asia.
He has written over 80 articles on international relations and security that have been published in a number of scholarly journals and edited works in the Philippines, South Korea, Canada, Malaysia, France, Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.
Adelle Chua
Adelle Chua is an Assistant Professor of journalism at the UP College of Mass Communication, and is an opinion columnist for Rappler.
She was a long-time opinion editor, editorial writer and columnist for Manila Standard.
She graduated with an AB in Literature (English) from Ateneo de Manila University, where she also obtained her MA in Journalism as a fellow of the Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism. Adelle also studied Financial and Economic Reporting at the Institute for International Journalism in Berlin, Germany.
Trustees
The ADRi Board of Trustees is composed of notable figures from premier educational institutions and industry. The Trustees provides guidance and direction to the numerous policy studies and advocacies that the Institute advances.
Convenors
ADRi’s four programs are convened by Dr. Francisco Magno, Dr. Carlos Primo David, Dr. Renato De Castro, and Dr. Epictetus Patalinghug.
Non-Resident Fellows
ADRi’s quarterly Spark and monthly Occasional Papers are authored by a variety of specialists in their given fields, in accordance with the objective of each program.
Stratbase ADR Institute 